GERMANY BOUND?: Report: Marsch close to heading to RB Leipzig

It is only a matter of time before Jesse Marsch joins Red Bull Leipzig. (Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

The long-rumored departure of Jesse Marsch as Red Bulls head coach is very close to becoming a reality.

Marsch is close to leaving the Major League Soccer team to join Red Bull Leipzig in Germany, Kristian Dyer of The Athletic reported Thursday. He is in advanced negotiations with the club.

Red Bulls assistant coach Chris Armas would replace Marsch as head coach, according to sources close to the club.

If Marsch moves on, he would become the second New York MLS coach to leave his team within a month. Patrick Vieira left New York City FC to become the Nice head coach in French Ligue 1 June 10. Manchester City assistant coach Domenec Torrent was named as Vieira’s successor.

The exact nature of the 44-year-old Marsch’s status with the Bundesliga club is not exactly known, The Athletic reported. He could become Leipzig’s interim head coach or even an assistant under Red Bull sporting director Ralf Rangnick, who would be serving as an interim head coach of the club

He has guided the Red Bulls into second place in the Eastern Conference with a 10-4-2 mark and 32 points, five points behind Atlanta United FC (11-4-4, 37) as New York has three games in hand.

Since joining the Red Bulls under controversial circumstances in 2015 — Marsch replaced the popular Mike Petke, who was fired — he has directed the New Jersey side to a 58-35-25 mark. Using a pressing defense, the Red Bulls captured the Supporters Shield in 2015 and took first place in the Eastern Conference in 2016. New York finished sixth to reach the MLS Cup playoffs last season.

The Red Bulls visit NYCFC in a Hudson River Derby match at Yankee Stadium Sunday at 7 p.m.

About The Author

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered eight World Cups, seven Olympics and all 21 MLS Cups. He writes about New York City FC, New York Cosmos and the U.S. national team for Newsday and pens a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has two more in the works, including one about the Rochester Lancers.